Feb 5 Show Recap--Hotels, Presidents, Festivals & Sharks

Another great show for those who listened, and for those who will listen to the show after the fact.

This weekend another annual local event is expected to attract thousands---30,000 in fact, comprised of both locals and visitors! Details of the 9th annual Hobe Sound Arts Festival, which takes place February 6-7, was Hobe Sound Chamber president Wayne Klick’s contribution to the show. One hundred and fifty vendors will participate and he promises there will truly be something for everyone. The best part is that it’s all FREE! Congratulations to Hobe Sound Chamber executive director Jennifer Ferrari and her volunteer staff for coordinating another great event.

Yes, fatal shark attacks are extremely rare and a tragedy when they occur, particularly when it occurs in your area. Regrettably, Stuart lost a great waterman this past week. Condolences and sympathy on the tragic loss are extended to the family and friends of Stephen Schafer. To help put this incident in its proper perspective, Florida Oceanographic Society executive director Mark Perry shared his scientific thoughts on the subject. The biggest question is--will this incident impact tourism on the Treasure Coast and in Florida for the remainder of the winter season?

The newly elected president of the Hotel/Motel Association of Martin County, Ed Griffith, who is also the general manager of the Courtyard Hutchinson Island/Jensen Beach, along with Katie Wacha, owner/operator of The Inn at Tilton Place in Jensen Beach, and Jacque Lewis, the general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott of Stuart,  shared their thoughts on the current tourist season. Listen in to find out if they are meeting their expectations and goals, whether visitors changing their booking habits, and their prospects for the rest of the season.

Lots of other information was discussed on great events and activities happening in our area. Don’t miss out. Download this week’s show HERE, to be "in the know" on tourism news along Florida's Treasure Coast and beyond.

Hotels, Presidents, Festivals & Sharks

Now that we were are hitting the height of the season, the Talkin' Tourism team thought it would be fitting to have lodging representatives share with the listening audience how the season has been thus far and what their projections are for the remainder of season.
Joining us this week are Katie Wacha, owner/operator of The Inn at Tilton Place, located in Jensen Beach, Jacque Lewis, general manager of the new Courtyard by Marriott, and Ed Griffith, general manager of the Courtyard Hutchinson Island Oceanside Jensen Beach. Each property is different and offers guest a range of services. Listen in to hear highlights and amenities offered by each property and learn what makes them unique from the other properties in the area.

This week, a local kite surfer lost his life after a shark attack at Stuart Beach in Martin County. Truly a very, very rare and tragic incident. Mark Perry, executive director of the Stuart based Florida Oceanographic Society, will share his knowledge about shark behavior in this area and why this incident may have occurred.

Art anyone? If the answer is "yes," then you won’t want to miss Hobe Sound Chamber president Wayne Klick talkin' details about the 9th annual Hobe Sound Festival of the Arts this Saturday and Sunday. How many vendors? Is admission FREE? Organizers promise here will be something for everyone!

As always, Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast keeps you on the cutting edge of tourism related information and news. Join us every Friday at 10 a.m. on WPSL 1590 or via your computer--www.wpsl.com.

Talkin' Tourism blog 'pick-up'

Check out this online news source--AmericanTowns-- that is carrying excerpts from the Talkin' Tourism blog!

Thanks for including us AmericanTowns!

Jan 29 Show Recap: Sports, Super Bowl Housing, Festivals and Offshore Drilling take center stage.

After last week’s “studio” being a wide and airy veranda overlooking the Straits of Florida, Harborage Yacht Club's Captain’s Lounge seemed a little cramped. On second thought, it could have been because we had so many great guests!

Leading off the show was Treasure Coast Sports Commission executive director Tom Colucci. With spring training days away, a new aquatics center being approved in Martin County, several other key events such as the Treasure Coast Regatta, NJCAA Swimming and Diving championships and the FHSAA Baseball Finals coming up in the next several months, sports tourism will certainly make a mark. As a side note, Tom was a guest on the very first show of Talkin' Tourism over one year ago!

Want to turn your home or condo into a short term rental for a big event? Texas based call-in guest Christina Karpinski, director of HomeAway’s Owner Community, shared some great tips on the do’s and don’ts of this potential opportunity and offered advice on avoiding some of the pitfalls to ensure a positive experience.

Butch Olsen Jr. and Randy Roberts wowed listeners with what they would find at this year's Port Salerno Seafood Festival. New components include pirates, mermaids, The Captain’s Club and more. What won't be new? Seafood, seafood and more seafood. Thosands of people are expected to descend on the sleepy village of Port Salerno for this annual family-friendly event. Congratulations to Barbara Slaten and Peter Voethroeder, both of Port St. Lucie, each winners of a VIP Package to the Port Salerno Seafood Festival. Special thanks to the Seafood Festival Committee for providing the special gift, and thank you listeners for lighting up Harborage Yacht Club's telephone board!

As promised, Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast is keeping listeners up to date with the views and opinions on drilling for oil off Florida’s coastline as close as three miles offshore, as will be discussed in this year’s legislative session. Surfrider Foundation, Treasure Coast Chapter board member Carter Hall detailed the opinions of this 90,000+ national organization. Some of the topics Carter covered included (1) are the potential risks worth jeopardizing the State’s tourism industry and (2) how long is it estimated to be before this oil actually hits the pumps? It is a big decision and Talkin' Tourism will continue to provide information to help you make a personal decision on this topic.

If you missed the show, or just want to listen in again, you can download it HERE.

See you next week!